Sunday, June 21, 2015

Week 74 - Latino Ottavalo - June 1, 2015

Hola Mi Querida Familia!!!!

I didn´t think I could ever feel so grateful in my life for the many mercies the Lord has allowed us to see this week. Literally. This week has been one of the hardest and also one of the most rewarding weeks of my mission. We started out the week with all our appointments falling through, losing investigators, and being rejected, but we ended the week finding true, honest, humble people who know how to recognize the spirit and who want to progress. Aylin was also baptized and confirmed, and interviewed by the bishop for a calling in Young Womens! Woot woot! Even more, we were able to attend the baptisms of Lucia Inuka and Cathy Delacruz, investigators from San Pablo that Hermana Perez and I found and taught and cried for. It was so hard to let them go in transfers 2 weeks ago. I can´t describe the joy I felt as we passed by the church building where San Pablo meets, which is in our area, and just happened to see Lucia and Kathy and the members outside taking pictures before the service. They looked so beautiful in white. And knowing all the challenges they went through in their path up until this moment, I felt like Alma when he meets up with Ammon and his brethren, filled with an immense love and gratitude for the converting power of the Lord.

We are teaching Joana and her husband Reymundo, an inactive who wants to come back with all the family. Joana is so sweet and we had an awesome lesson with her on sunday. She has a baptismal date for June 27th. As we were teaching her the Plan of Salvation, we were actually just finishing off explaing the 3 kingdoms of glory, when she expressed a real concern for a cousin who had commited suicide a couple weeks ago. She knew that he had died in his sins and she felt a true sadness and wanted to know if there was any hope for him. We explained temple work and the ministry in the spirit world. Her face lit up and tears streamed down her face as she told us that finally she feels at peace, Reymundo told her that they can go to the temple and he can be baptized for her cousin, Temple work excited the both of them to keep moving forward. Joana told us that now she feels more motivated for her baptism. I feel truly grateful for the restored gospel, where all loose ends meet, knowing that God has a plan for each of us. The power and authority once again is on this earth. The ordinances we make in holy temples bind us together as family and to our father in heaven. In essence, this is our purpose.. bring families together in this life and in the life after through helping them come unto Christ. Joana and Reymundo are both eager to attend church, please pray for them that they can make it to church this coming sunday!

Another cool story: We were out proselyting waaaay up on the mountain saturday... more like exploring.... and it started to pour rain. So we decided to start making our way down. But I felt the distinct impression to knock one more door, so I told Hermana Maximiliano, the coolest companion in the world, "hey lets see if someone lives in this house." And we knocked. Viviana came out, and she was so sweet, she told us to hurry and come inside before we got soaking wet. No one ever tells us that. Then we talked with her about her life and got to know her. Viviana is 23 and has a little boy, she has been through a lot and doesn´t live with her husband any more because he left her. We shared the restoration, and she totally felt the spirit and told us she knows Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that yes she wants to get baptized. Wow. A miracle contact. Her only problem is that she is studying sundays until July when she graduates. We commited her to attend our ward mission nights every friday and to attend church when she graduates so she can get baptized. She joyfully accepted. We also have gone back to teach Viviana´s Mom, who is also very special and has desires to change her life. They are excited to read the Book of Mormon!!

I know that Jesus Christ has payed the price for our sins and that everyday we must try to be more like him. The Holy Ghost will guide us as long as we pay attention to his still small voice. If we ask for the guidance of the Holy Ghost we will receive it, be it to guide our families, our investigators, help other missionaries, or make plans for our own lives. Our father in heaven loves us so much.

My letter is so long this week sorry, but just one last thing!!In the beginning of May, President Richardson challenged us to pick a Chrsitlike Attribute and make plan to develop it. The challenge is called Maravilla de Mayo. Part of the idea, is to choose a miracle that we want to see at the end of the month as a sign that we have completed our goals. My attribute was Christlike Love: Charity, and the miracle I wanted to see was a family baptized. I am so grateful that my Maravilla de Mayo has been realized. I feel so filled with love and charity for everyone. For my companion, for the other sisters, for those we contact each day, even when they reject us. The Lord has molded me this May, and I have seen so many fruits from my efforts to develop charity. I prayed in the beginning of the month that Kathy and Lucia would be able to get baptized as a family. And the Lord kept his side of the promise as I kept mine. That's the way the Gospel works! Maravillas!!!! We must trust in Him completely. I know Christ lives and I love him!